Solids can be offered anytime from 4 months of age. I prefer around 18 weeks. I recommend starting with home cooked vegetables, preferably pumpkin, once a day. For a good 4 days offer pumpkin AFTER the 2nd morning milk feed. This allows time to see whether there is an intolerence to the food. An allergic reaction usually occur within 2 hours, more info for that will be given later on in a separate article.
Upto 9 months of age, the milk feed takes priority. Keep solid feeds AFTER milk feeds. After 9 months of age, offer solids BEFORE milk feeds.
At 18 weeks bub won’t have teeth, so blend or simply fork-mash the cooked pumpkin to a smooth, moist consistency. It is not necessary to add anything to the pumpkin. Later on, if you feel you need extra flavour consider adding herbs. Never add salt.
Allow your baby to taste and manouvre the food in their mouth. Take your time. In the beginning, it is all about tasting the food and becoming used to different textures. It is an introduction only and never force.
Pacing the introduction of new foods in 4 day blocks is best. To begin with, only offer small amounts, increasing the quantity slowly.
Once you think your bub has conquered pumpkin, add one new vegy to the pumpkin. The following vegy's: Potato, Zucchini, Carrot, Sweet Potato, Peas, Beans, and Avocado are good beginner foods.
When your baby has had the mixture of pumpkin and another vegy for a good 8 days (and all appears well in the digestion area) add an additional feed of solids AFTER the milk feed in the evening. By 6 months of age, bub should be fed three solid meals per day.
Keep the first feed of a new vege for the morning. This way, if there is a reaction you have the daytime to sort it out.
It is essential to add a good source of iron enriched food to the diet from 6 months on: Lamb, Liver for example.
Do not shy away from offering finger foods soon after 6 months.
Open cup drinking is attempted too, messy at first, but with practice it becomes easier and less messy.
Foods to avoid till age date shown in table below include:
- Glutin Free Bread - between 6 to 8 months.
- Whole Grain Bread – these are too high in fibre until 10 months.
- Weetbix – again it is too high fibre and salt. kids Weetbix is lower salt content. Offer at 10 months.
- Dairy foods - hold off yoghurts(recommend organic,probiotic Jalna, not baby yoghurts as they are usually more sugar content) soft cheeses and custards until 8 months. Salt content is quite high.
- Fish - begin around 7 to 8 months.
- Prawns/crab - do not even consider offering until over 2 years old.
- Cows Milk - can be used on Weetbix at 10 months. Cow Milk is very low in iron, and high in salt. Therefore up to 12 months, cows milk should only supplement breast milk or formula.
- Juice - Babies do NOT need juice. They do NOT need watered down juice either. They obtain juice from the fruit they get and that is sufficient for their needs. Juice is high in sugar, creates thirst and may curb appetite.
Please email me any suggestions for articles you would like to know about: info@healthybaby.com.au
Take care,
Rene
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